Can't configure Checkstyle in Maven multimodule project

Question

I'm working with Java multimodule project in Eclipse. And I have to configure Checkstyle to my Maven build and fail the build in case of any violations. I've found the recomendation on this site to use this tutorial: https://maven.apache.org/plugins/maven-checkstyle-plugin/examples/multi-module-config.html And I decided to follow by it.

I've added the new subfolder build-tools with my checkstyle.xml and made all changes in project's pom.xml

Main pom.xml file

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
  <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
  <groupId>com.ss.ita</groupId>
  <artifactId>jresume</artifactId>
  <version>1.0</version>
  <packaging>pom</packaging>
  <name>JResume</name>

  <build>
    <plugins>
      <plugin>
        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
        <artifactId>maven-checkstyle-plugin</artifactId>
        <version>2.16</version>
        <dependencies>
          <dependency>
            <groupId>com.softserveinc.ita</groupId>
            <artifactId>build-tools</artifactId>
            <version>1.0</version>
          </dependency>
        </dependencies>
      </plugin>
    </plugins>
  </build>

  <reporting>
    <plugins>
      <plugin>
        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
        <artifactId>maven-checkstyle-plugin</artifactId>
        <version>2.16</version>
        <configuration>
          <configLocation>build-tools/src/main/resources/jresume/checkstyle.xml</configLocation>
          <headerLocation>build-tools/src/main/resources/jresume/LICENSE.txt</headerLocation>
          <failsOnError>true</failsOnError>
        </configuration>
      </plugin>
    </plugins>
  </reporting>

  <modules>
    <module>common</module>
    <module>persistence</module>
    <module>business</module>
    <module>logging</module>
    <module>web</module>
    <module>build-tools</module>
  </modules>
</project>

When I write some java code with checkstyle violations Maven install gives me SUCCES but I have to fail the project because of violations. Where I go wrong? Maybe I wrote the wrong path to my checkstyle.xml? Help me please.

Answer 1

Change config to:

    <configLocation>jresume/checkstyle.xml</configLocation>
    <headerLocation>jresume/LICENSE.txt</headerLocation>

These parameters are relative to your source folder(s).

If you look in the jar file of com.softserveinc.ita:build-tools:1.0 , you will see that there is no src/main/resources .

Also, you should install/deploy com.softserveinc.ita:build-tools:1.0 Eclipse would normally resolve this for you if you have project in the workspace, but I am unsure if this mechanism works with dependencies to plugins .

Moreover, it sounds as if you want to fail the build during the <build> lifecycle, as opposed to the <reporting> lifecycle (site). Check out the last section of https://maven.apache.org/plugins/maven-checkstyle-plugin/usage.html